News

Colonel Morrison goes to the bench

Simon Corbell has announced Colonel Peter Morrison RFD will be our new magistrate:

“Colonel Morrison will join the Magistrates Court to fill the position made vacant by the impending retirement of Magistrate Maria Doogan,” Mr Corbell said.

“Colonel Morrison brings with him extensive experience in the field of criminal law and has undertaken roles as a Military Judge and then as a Judge Advocate and Defence Force Magistrate.

“Colonel Morrison’s military experience provides him with extensive knowledge of the ACT criminal law and generally of criminal legal principles.”

Prior to these roles, Colonel Morrison worked in private legal practice in Queensland for 26 years. Colonel Morrison practiced across a broad range of areas, including administrative law, contract and commercial law, trade practices including restrictive trade practices and competition law, criminal law, company law and corporate governance, personal injury, property law and land title.

Colonel Morrison’s civil law knowledge and background will be particularly relevant to matters to be heard in the increased Magistrates Court civil jurisdiction.

Mr Corbell said that the government had acted quickly to fill the position so that there was little or no, overlap when Magistrate Doogan retires at the end of March, 2012.

What’s Your opinion?

Simon quick to respond to the commands of the bar again. It would be hard to imagine a more archaic and dysfunctional institution than the magistrates courts with their petty court officials (perhaps that is why it was once called petty sessions?) and its silly old rituals.

This dinosaur needs less money and resources, not more. Apart from applying legal leeches to the community to suck the blood from a corpse there’s not much there and silly Simon playing at lawyer again just keeps giving them our money at their request. No accountability and no oversight apart from the Chief Magistrates that seems to come and go.Enough said.

Failing police. Failing victims. Failing offenders. Failing the community. Why on earth do we keep it in its current form? Spend a dollar or two on reform Simon.